Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/07
Her album is expected to sell 800,000 to 900,000 copies in its first week. That would make it the biggest one-week sales of any album this year.
http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/10/27/taylor-swift-speak-now-sales/
It just makes me agnry when every single status in my FB newsfeed is a quote from one of her songs. She's not a philosopher, for Christ's sake.
Her other albums were critical successes, as well. Her Grammy tally speaks to that. She just cannot perform live. For every hit she has a miss and that's not what a good performer does. That drag queen skit is absolutely dead on. I understand that some people adore her, but you can't argue about her lack of live performing abilities. I can't agree with the statement that she seems very grounded. I think she used to be grounded, but the big ass production numbers with rain, props and videos in the background don't scream, "I'm real!" anymore. It's hard to listen to her sing about little boys she had a crush on or how, "I'll never forget how I felt when I was 15," when she's been linked to Disney boys and Twilight boys and did someone upthread say John Mayer?! (He'll spill the beans if you're a lousy lay! Oy.) I think her sizzle is starting to fizzle. I guess time will tell.
Heh. My friend and I were discussing precisely that yesterday.
The motif of being the underdog geek who gets overlooked is kind of pandering to the audience at this point.
^ I'm positive that there are many who do not feel this way.
I think her sizzle is starting to fizzle.
Well-received album, expected to sell well. Granted, a lot of people obviously don't care for her, but it seems to me she's doing fine.
but you can't argue about her lack of live performing abilities.
I certainly can argue that her vocal consistency improves steadily. And even when her vocals were severely lacking, I always thought she had radiant, confident presence.
Updated On: 10/27/10 at 09:38 PM
She needs to grow up. Seriously.
She can write songs to a nice extent, but other people need to sing them.
And she's bordering on "poor lil old me schoolgirl" manipulative (a la Lifetime film or Law&Order SVU) instead of even remotely genuine. She's milked it to the point being irritating.
I certainly can argue that her vocal consistency improves steadily. And even when her vocals were severely lacking, I always thought she had radiant, confident presence.
"Vocal consistency improves steadily," still doesn't a good performer make. If you are not talented live, work with a vocal coach for another year before heading out on that world tour that little girls are going to beg their parents to sit through. And I can't agree that she improves at all because she bombs every single award show and tv performance. I shouldn't have to look at bootleg live concert footage. The Spice Girls sold a lot of albums, too. No one gave them crazy Grammys because they knew they were just canned fun.
And yeah, "I'm the underdog," is getting old.
Feel free to worship at her feet, as a million teenage girls and, for some reason, adults do. That's your opinion. I just think she's the type of reason our kids are growing up with no musical taste.
No one gave them crazy Grammys because they knew they were just canned fun.
Then... why did Taylor win? She would not have been my choice, true, but I don't think the Kanye ordeal is reason enough to award someone several top prizes. Merit must have have a hand in it, no?
And I can't agree that she improves at all because she bombs every single award show and tv performance. I shouldn't have to look at bootleg live concert footage.
I'm confused. I posted seven links, and only one of them was bootleg.
Feel free to worship at her feet, as a million teenage girls and, for some reason, adults do. That's your opinion. I just think she's the type of reason our kids are growing up with no musical taste.
lol I'm not worshipping her, just presenting an opposing view. I started this thread solely because I was impressed by her new album, which clearly very few on here have actually taken the time to consider and listen to objectively. And yes, because it is my thread, I feel that I should keep the discussion going. And by 'no taste', do you mean a taste that's different than yours? Honestly, the kids could do a lot worse, and are.
Updated On: 10/28/10 at 01:31 PM
By saying no musical taste, I am not comparing it to my own, trust me. (I still own all the Spice Girls cds and 21 Cher cds. lol) I am just saying that we're rewarding mediocrity. Let her be successful, let the little girls cry and want to be her, but for heaven's sake, let's call it what it is. It's a talented young songwriter who is not growing up musically very fast who shouldn't really be singing. She has talent. I won't take that away from her. She just can't perform. I would hate to take kids to a Taylor Swift concert, for her sing off key half the time and the kids to come away thinking THIS is the magic of live theatre. I would rather young girls (and myself, honestly) listen to an artist like Pink or Lady Gaga who are pushing the boundaries, writing their own original music and performing their asses off night after night.
And I think most of us here are baffled as to why she keeps getting the awards. The country music awards are obvious. She's pumping a little blood into the market. The Grammy's used to do better. I will never forget the year Jethro Tull won the first hardrock Grammy or when Bonnie Raitt swept everything. We were in middle school saying, "Who is THAT?!" It's all about ratings and selling advertising now. They reward the artists that they want to get to perform so people will watch.
It just all boils down to opinions and they're like a$$holes. We all have them and some are more popular than others.
I do think her songwriting has matured in content, but thank you for giving the most well-supported response so far.
You know, honestly, the machine may not LET her write very far from her multi-platinum selling original center. They find something that works and keep turning the screw until it's stripped clean. Clean, sweet and pure may be the only thing they think she can sell. I don't know.
Maybe, but if that's the philosophy, how do you explain lyrics like this?
She's not a saint and she's not what you think
She's an actress, Whoa
She's better known for the things that she does
on the mattress, Whoa
Soon she's gonna find
Stealing other people's toys on the playground
Won't make you many friends
She should keep in mind,
She should keep in mind
There is nothing I do better than revenge, Ha
Not exactly clean, sweet, or innocent.
^ Yeah, I'm glad to see she's branching out, while also finding new ways to explore themes she's covered. And regardless of who it's about, "Dear John" is brutally honest, and a beautiful song.
Not exactly clean, innocent, sweet or good. I was just trying to find a reason not to detest her.
Hahah, you're a bigger person than I, then.
I still think she has way too much immature drama! Also, I believe that a lot of the young girls like her because they can "sing" along with her. It's the same with all the Disney teens who are flat and off-key. So are all the little girls who try to "sing" like them. I saw they just unveiled her wax figure at Madame T's in NY. I also think that her fame has happened too fast. (I feel the same about the Bieber!) I hope she doesn't get inducted into Opryland anytime soon. In my day, performers were at it for YEARS before they got such an honor- just sayin'
Well, inducted at Opryland used to be available to anyone for $30. It's gone now. I am sure she will be a member of the Grand Ole Opry soon enough.
Blake Shelton got in last week.
Blake Shelton? He is handsome and talented but certainly not at the legendary status yet. I have a friend who was infuriated when Carrie Underwood was inducted! Oh well!
Again, it's ratings. Hocking Martha White flour and Goo Goo Clusters during the commercial breaks isn't brining in what it used to. lol
Not exactly clean, innocent, sweet or good.
The lyrics flow well, and the kid-like imagery she she chose works perfectly in the context of the song. They're totally fine.
Videos